AEGiS-14IAC: An evaluation of California's neighborhood interventions geared to high-risk testing (NIGHT) outreach program.

14th International AIDS Conference

Barcelona, Spain - July 7-12, 2002

An evaluation of California's neighborhood interventions geared to high-risk testing (NIGHT) outreach program.

Int Conf AIDS 2002 Jul 7-12; 14:(abstract no. ThOrD1401)

Rasmussen H, Chen M, Myrick R, Truax S
Department of Health Services, Office of AIDS, Sacramento, United States

BACKGROUND: In 1996, the California State Office of AIDS (OA) began implementing an innovative statewide HIV counseling and testing (C&T) referral initiative (NIGHT) targeting high-risk populations. Through the use of mobile vans, NIGHT offers street outreach in geographic locations frequented by high-risk individuals and provides HIV C&T services and referrals. This study evaluates the extent to which NIGHT is achieving its goals.

METHODS: We used data collected on individuals who tested for HIV between 07/01/97 and 12/31/01 in counties/cities that have implemented NIGHT. We compared demographic characteristics, HIV serostatus, and HIV-related risk behaviors of clients who were referred by NIGHT to that of clients who were referred to testing by other sources.

RESULTS: Between 07/01/97 and 12/31/01, a total of 483,463 HIV tests were conducted in counties/cities that have implemented NIGHT. Of these, 104,850 (21.7%) were referred by NIGHT. NIGHT-referred tests accounted for 18.1% of the overall HIV tests in 2000/2001, up from 11.0% in 1997/1998. Of the 104,850 tests referred by NIGHT, 62,321 (59.4%) were for people of color, 35,448 (33.8%) women of child-bearing age, 24,222 (23.1%) injection drug users (IDUs), 46,938 (44.8%) stimulant drug users, 10,676 (10.2%) men who have sex with men, and 12,692 (12.1%) sex workers. About 1.1% (1,174) of the 104,850 NIGHT-referred tests were HIV positive. Compared to the 378,613 HIV tests referred by other sources, NIGHT-referred tests had significant higher percentage of African Americans (28.2% vs. 13.3%, p<0.001), IDUs (23.1% vs. 11.0%, p<0.001), stimulant drug users (44.8% vs. 25.3%, p<0.001), and sex workers (12.1% vs. 5.1%, p<0.001).

CONCLUSION: NIGHT is achieving its goal of referring individuals at high level of risk for HIV to HIV C&T services. Street outreach is particularly effective in increasing HIV testing among drug users, sex workers and high-risk African American clients.

Keywords: AEGIS, Risk-Taking, HIV Infections, Research Design, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Counseling, California, African Americans, Human, Male, Female, Child, nursing

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